Course Overview

This page focuses on the course 21W.035 Science Writing and New Media: Communicating Science to the Public as it was taught by Jared Berezin in Fall 2016.

This course provides an introduction to writing about science for general readers. Students read works by accomplished science writers. Each assignment focuses on a different popular form, such as news articles, interviews, essays, and short features.

Course Outcomes

Course Goals for Students

Improve our rhetorical knowledge

Develop strategies for succeeding in a variety of communication events (known as “rhetorical situations”)

Gain experience in generating and researching article ideas, interviewing scientists, and most importantly, translating complex scientific and technological developments into clear and engaging stories for the public

Gain the confidence to participate in and lead discussions that closely examine articles written for the public

Ultimately improve our writing, speaking, and rhetorical knowledge that will help us succeed at MIT and beyond

Instructor Insights

I encourage everyone to explore the familiar and/or unfamiliar – whatever they find “awesome” and “awesomely confusing” in the world of science and technology.

—Jared Berezin

In the following pages, Jared Berezin describes various aspects of how he taught 21W.035 Science Writing and New Media: Communicating Science to the Public.

Curriculum Information

Prerequisites

None

Requirements Satisfied

CI-HW

HASS-H

Offered

Every fall and spring semester

The Classroom

Room 1 of 1

Lecture

All class sessions were held in a medium-sized classroom with tablet armchairs, connections for laptops, sliding chalkboards, and an overhead projector. The chairs were arranged in a semi-circle at the start of each class.

Instructor Insights on Assessment

Commenting on papers is an important form of teaching in any writing class. One guiding principle for my in-text comments is the effort to remain global, rather than local. Specifically, I attempt to give straightforward feedback that connects well-defined moments in the text to a larger overarching issue(s) discussed in class – elements of the rhetorical situation, attempts at creative explanation, and rhetorical appeals. In addition to critiquing writing that can be more effective, I also make it a point to praise effective moments in student writing, so that students become aware of their burgeoning strengths as translators and communicators of science, while working to improve in other areas.

Student Information

Breakdown by Year

Mostly first-year students

Breakdown by Major

Most students have not yet identified a major.

Typical Student Background

The benefit of having a majority of first-year students is that they have not yet selected a major, so they are not self-tethered to pursue a narrow course of study. Most of them are trying to figure out what they want to major in at MIT, which creates a classroom with wonderful diversity of passion and curiosity.

For every major assignment (except the rhetorical analysis) students are able to select their own article topics. I encourage everyone to explore the familiar and/or unfamiliar – whatever they find “awesome” and “awesomely confusing” in the world of science and technology. First-year students often welcome the opportunity to gain exposure to new fields, while sophomores tend to dig deeper into their main course of study (most of them know what their major will be), though some explore interests that they would otherwise not delve into in their academic career at MIT. This exploration is evident in the variety of article topics, which makes the articles stimulating to read for both the instructor and students in the class.

How Student Time Was Spent

During an average week, students were expected to spend 12 hours on the course, roughly divided as follows:

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